Calls for strong action against Saudi Arabia and its
leadership have grown louder since the murder of journalist
Jamal Khashoggi last month. Wednesday's vote signals strong
bipartisan pushback against the White House over its continued
support of its Middle East ally.

The resolution, which calls on the president to remove most
US troops in Yemen, passed 63 to 37. The resolution failed to
pass earlier this year.

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) led the push for the
measure alongside Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Connecticut) and Sen. Mike
Lee (R-Utah). Sanders has long opposed the United States' role in
the war in Yemen -
one of the world's worst humanitarian crises - and
characterized it as "unconstitutional"
given that Congress had not weighed in on the matter.

In an incredible show of unity, all Senate Democrats voted
in favor of the resolution. Prominent Senate Republicans,
including Bob Corker (R-Tennessee), Lindsey Graham (R-South
Carolina), and Rand Paul (R-Kentucky) - all of whom have voiced
strong opposition to Trump's handling of Saudi Arabia in the
wake of Jamal Khashoggi's murder -
also voted in favor of the measure.

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Following the vote, Sanders praised the decision to move
toward withdrawing troops from Yemen.

"The bottom line is the United States should not be
supporting a catastrophic war led by a despotic regime with a
dangerous and irresponsible military policy," Sanders said in a
statement. "Let us bring this catastrophic war
in Yemen to an end, help bring peace to this tortured country and
with the rest of the world help provide the humanitarian aid that
is so desperately needed."

Murphy tweeted
that Wednesday's vote sent a huge signal to the Trump
administration.

"The Saudis are our ally. But their war in Yemen has gone
off the rails and their disregard for human life has become
unconscionable," he wrote. "Today's Senate vote is a signal to
the Administration that they must reorient American policy toward
Saudi Arabia or Congress will do it for them."

The resolution still needs another vote to be debated on
the floor, and then a final vote - though the White House has
indicated plans to shelve the measure when it reaches the
president's desk.

NEW White House threatens to VETO Yemen resolution in budget office policy statement. "The fundamental premise of S.J. Res. 54 is flawed—United States forces are not engaged in hostilities between the Saudi-led coalition and Houthi forces in Yemen." pic.twitter.com/RFjpZfuKyK

In the lead up to the vote, the Trump administration was
accused of trying to "cover
up" Khashoggi's murder by reportedly
blocking CIA Director Gina Haspel from attending a classified
Senate briefing on Yemen, Saudi Arabia, and Khashoggi. Haspel has
traveled to Istanbul to discuss the investigation and is said to
have listened to audio of the grisly killing. A CIA spokesperson
told The Washington Post that "the notion that anyone told
Director Haspel not to attend today's briefing is false."

Earlier this month, the
CIA
determined that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman
ordered the assassination despite consistent denials from Riyadh.
Bipartisan calls for strong action against Saudi Arabia and its
leadership have grown louder since the October 2 killing, and
Wednesday's vote signals strong pushback against the White House
over its continued support for its Middle East ally.